Assessment of the quality and reliability of youtube videos on adenoid hypertrophy

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a common condition in children, often leading to nasal obstruction, mouth breathing, and sleep disturbances. With the increasing use of YouTube as a source of medical information, concerns have arisen regarding the accuracy and reliability of video content on this platform. This study aimed to evaluate the quality, reliability, and usefulness of English-language YouTube videos related to AH.

A total of 300 videos were screened using specific keywords, and 93 met the inclusion criteria. Videos were assessed for their general characteristics and classified as either useful or misleading based on scientific accuracy. The Global Quality Scale (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and JAMA benchmarks were used to evaluate video quality and reliability.

Among the included videos, 78.5% were deemed useful, while 21.5% were misleading. Videos uploaded by academic institutions and physicians demonstrated significantly higher mDISCERN, GQS, and JAMA scores (p < 0.001). In contrast, the majority of misleading videos were uploaded by independent users. A strong correlation was found between viewer engagement metrics (likes, comments) and daily view counts (p < 0.001), though higher popularity did not consistently align with higher quality or reliability.

Although YouTube offers a substantial number of informative videos on AH, the presence of misleading content remains a concern, particularly from non-professional sources. Healthcare professionals and institutions are encouraged to produce high-quality, reliable video content to enhance public health literacy and counter misinformation.